Scottish Government urged to act on climate emergency

Published:13:24Friday 13 October 2017

Activists inflated a huge warming earth globe outside Scottish Government headquarters at St Andrew’s House in Edinburgh today to highlight the emergency of climate change and urge greater action from the Scottish Government.

The globe was created using NASA satellite maps that show average temperature rises across the planet.

Free, print-quality photos will be available to use from 1pm on 13/10/17 at

“We’re here to raise the alarm on the climate emergency. 2017 has seen a succession of devastating hurricanes and cyclones, floods in South Asia, wildfires raging around the world and ice shelf collapses. With temperature records repeatedly broken the planet is sending is a very clear message that we are in a climate emergency. These record-breaking disasters come at only one degree of warming so far.

“Without greater ambition from advanced nations including Scotland, we will see devastating impacts on hundreds of millions of people around the world, put our ability to grow enough food at risk, increase political instability and wipe out many thousands of plant and animal species. To put it simply, the lives and livelihoods of millions depend upon rich nations cutting emissions as soon as possible.”

The Scottish Government has just finished consulting on new climate targets and is now aiming to introduce a Climate Change Bill to Parliament early next year. It has proposed a 90% emissions cut on 1990 levels by 2050 but this does not go far enough. Friends of the Earth Scotland wants the Scottish Government to commit to becoming a zero emissions nation by 2040, with a cut of 77% by 2030.

Dr Dixon continued:

“The First Minister has committed Scotland to ‘playing our full part in the Paris Agreement.’ But her government’s proposals so far fail to deliver what is needed to address this climate emergency. Nearly 20,000 people responded to their consultation this summer calling for increased action and stronger targets.

“The Programme for Government announcements of the phase out of fossil-fuelled cars by 2032 and the creation of a Just Transition Commission to ensure the shift to low carbon economy is fair to workers and communities were both demonstrations of climate leadership. These measures and the subsequent decision to ban fracking should embolden them to go further and set us on the path to a zero emissions Scotland. Positive action on climate change will deliver warmer homes, healthier citizens and help tackle poverty at home and abroad.”

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is visiting the Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavik today where she will discuss climate action and meet with the UN climate chief. When attending the same event last year she said: “it was essential that the world… makes serious efforts to keep them [temperature rises] below 1.5C.”

The environment campaigners were taking part in an International Day of Action which featured activities from over 30 grassroots groups across six continents. This weekend will see a wave of mobilisation across the world such as giant murals of resistance in Spain, anti-coal protests in Japan and Indonesia, work with affected communities by gas in rural Mozambique and an anti-fracking rally with inflatable dinosaurs in Sheffield.